The Marauders~And a Lily
by Winter Witch
Summary: Ok! This is an L/J fic! It has some emotional scenes between Lily and James, and...there will be some...intimate sections...nothing hentai or graphic though! They remain virgins! Well...yeah!
1. Default Chapter

A/N Ok! This is my first L/J normal fan fiction! I do not own any of the characters except for Nicole and Emily, ok? So, on to the story and as always, Read, Enjoy, and REVIEW! Oh, and I've kinda sorta killed Peter off here, I know he's important in the future…but not this story!!! And since Lily is now a Marauder, her Marauder nickname is Flame.   
  
Marauders  
  
Lily Evans, a pretty, fifteen year old girl with deep red hair, bright emerald green eyes, and perfectly tan skin, walked down the Girls' Dormitory steps, into the Gryffindor Common Room. "Hey Nicole, Emily!" she called cheerily to her two closest friends. Lily Evans was the most popular girl in Hogwarts, along with her two friends, Nicole and Emily.   
  
"Hey, Lily, did you see Richard this morning? How on EARTH did he get to be so hot?" Nicole said, wistfully thinking about a random boy.   
  
"Well, I heard Remus isn't looking too bad either, eh, Emily?" Lily teased her friend, Emily was a brunette with sparkling sapphire eyes, an amazing sense of humor, and an attitude that rivaled Lily's.   
  
"Nope, definitely not! And what about Sirius? You've forgotten him already, Nic?" Emily chided her friend Nicole. Nicole was a curly haired blonde with violet eyes and a passionate soul.   
  
"No, who could forget Sirius?" Nicole said dreamily.  
  
"Talking about me?" A familiar voice said, and sure enough, Sirius Black strode into the common room, and took a seat on one of the squashy armchairs near the group of girls.   
  
"Why, speak of the devil. Sirius, daaaaaahling! Long time no see!" Lily exclaimed, and bounced over to give her friend a large hug.   
  
"I know, pity that you fair ladies must be parted from me for summer vacation…of course I doubt my parents would appreciate having all the females over at our house…" he said, winking.   
  
"So, Sirius, just decided to ignore me? Fine, that's ok, no need to say 'Hi', I understand!" Nicole sniffed, looking at Sirius with wide violet eyes.   
  
"Ah, Nicole, my dear. Come, sit with me!" Sirius flirted, patting the space next to him on the chair.  
  
Nicole jumped up and plopped down next to Sirius, giving him a friendly peck on the cheek.   
  
Two more boys came down from the Boys' Dormitory, Remus Lupin, the sandy blonde-haired boy who was polite, intelligent, and a prankster. And James Potter, black, untidy hair, deep chocolate brown eyes, Chaser on the House Quidditch team, and also a prankster. These, along with Sirius, and Lily now, were the Marauders.   
  
Lily and James had met and become very close friends in first year. He walked in on her charming a quill to keep attacking Serverus Snape, a very greasy boy in Slytherin. James had asked what she was doing, and she simply told him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders when Sirius entered the room and swooned, "A girl after my own heart!" After that they had been best friends, and partners in crime.   
  
"Lily, my sweet! How long had it been? 5? Ten minutes at least! It seems ages since the Hogwarts Express!" James cried, flinging his arms around the redhead. "I trust you have been well, Lily-darling?"   
  
"Oh, of course! Jamsie!" Lily laughed, playing along. Noticing how the others were staring, James' arms wrapped around her waist, and her hands behind his neck, she pulled away, blushing.   
  
"So, what's on the agenda for the first prank?" Lily asked, plunking down on an armchair, and James squeezed in beside her. "And, most importantly, who is the target? Snape? Malfoy? First years? I've been working on some delightful new charms and curses we could use…"  
  
"How about…Snape? He's always good for a laugh…" Remus said thoughtfully. Remus looked over at Emily and a slight pink color rose in his cheeks.   
  
"So true, my dear Moony, but, aha! I see a young lady has found your fancy! It is the fair Emily! Must we now find a nickname for her? Or is the young lass not fond of pranks?" Sirius said, quite animatedly.   
  
"As much as I love embarrassing Remmy, it is time for breakfast my friends!" Nicole informed them, and rose to her feet, dragging Sirius with her.   
  
Sirius whistled innocently as he slipped his arm around Nicole's waist, and beckoned to his fellow Marauders, and Emily. "Come now! The time for eating is nigh!"   
  
"A bit dramatic, eh, Padfoot?" James laughed, and jumped to his feet, along with Lily, Emily, and Remus.   
  
"Emily, how do you think potions is going to go this year? I mean I was pretty good last year, but I heard that things were going to get even more precise, and much harder! And what do you think about transfiguration? I'm TERRIBLE at that!" Lily asked her best friend.   
  
"I think potions should be fine, and even if transfiguration is awful for you, lover-boy should be able to help you with that!" Emily teased, pointing to James.   
  
"LOVER-BOY?!" Lily shrieked, and received several looks from people in the hallway. Among those who turned to look was James.  
  
Lily blushed profusely and entered the Great Hall. The High Table was set and the staff sat there, talking and laughing. Seemingly unable to resist everyone being seated and in one place, Lily addressed the Student Body. "My fellow, students! 'Tis I! Lily Evans here to speak with you now. 7th years, I am sorry that this is the last year you shall share with me!" there were several fake sobs, "And 1st years, my dears, you shall all come to know me! I am certain that this year shall be full of fun, magic, and plenty of pranks! Enjoy your meal!" she finished with a bow, and erupted applause from the students.   
  
Dumbledore smiled at the girl, as she strode to sit down at the Gryffindor table. "As Miss Evans has already opened the year better than I could have, I shall skip the opening speech…enjoy!" The tall man sat down, his eyes twinkling in Lily's direction.  
  
"Brilliant, bloody brilliant!" Sirius exclaimed, holding his goblet of pumpkin juice in toast. "To Flame! The Marauder who outshines us all!"   
  
"Here, here!"  
  
"Ah, thank you dear Padfoot! I simply couldn't resist!" Lily exclaimed.   
  
"I should say not, that's my Lily!" James said, and looked into her shimmering green eyes. 'How did I not notice how beautiful she is?'  
  
"Your Lily? What if I wanted to be Sirius' Lily?" Lily teased, her heart racing, 'Oh my God, he's so gorgeous…those eyes…no wonder every girl seems to fall for him…'  
  
"Well, then I am pretty sure Nicole would have to kill you!" James retorted, "Besides, you know what I mean, not like that…" 'Maybe…'  
  
"Hey, there's enough of me to go around!" Sirius said, winking. He flinched after he received a 'whap' in the arm from Nicole.  
  
"No, there isn't!" Nicole said, and gave him a knowing look.  
  
"Ah, guess not then…" Sirius grinned.   
  
"Well, I bet Arabella wouldn't disagree to being your Bella!" Lily said, nudging his arm.   
  
"I love her. Er, I mean, I love her like a friend." Sirius said, flustered, receiving glares from Nicole. "I love Bella the way I love Emily!" Nicole seemed satisfied with this response, that is, until Emily spoke up.   
  
"Geez, Sirius! No one's supposed to know about that!" Emily said, faux-embarrassed.   
  
"Are you all TRYING to get me in trouble?" Sirius whined, looking helplessly at Nicole.   
  
"Yup!"  
  
Nicole smiled and kissed Sirius lightly on the lips. Sirius grinned and said to his friends, "On second thought, you get me in trouble all you like!"  
  
After breakfast the group headed to Transfiguration, Lily's nightmare, and James' best subject. They all took their normal seats at the right side of the circle of desks, there was an open place in the center for demonstrations and lectures.   
  
"And now, class! Please, in your partners, transfigure your sticks into a snake!" Professor McGonagall ordered, and retreated to her desk.   
  
"Hey James, partners?" Lily asked, raising her wand.   
  
"Of course, Lily my sweet! Who else?" James responded, and on the first try turned the stick into a beautiful ringed snake.   
  
"Ohhh! I'm never gonna be able to do that!" Lily moaned, and watched James turn the snake back into a stick for her to try. "Alright…" she said, and raised her wand. "Cromordius Serpentius!" she said, and moved her wand in a manner she obviously thought correct.   
  
Needless to say, the stick was still a stick.   
  
"No, no, no! Here, you move your arm like this, here…" James said, as he moved behind her and took her wand hand in his own. "Now say it…" he whispered.  
  
"Cromordius Serpentius!" Lily said, feeling James' other arm slip around her waist to her stomach. The stick popped and turned into a snake almost as beautiful as James'. "We did it!" Lily squealed, and turned around, aiming to kiss James on the cheek. In the excitement, however, her aim was slightly off, and she kissed him on the mouth.   
  
"Uh-mmph!" James said, muffled, he was surprised but not unhappy at all. He closed his eyes and kissed her back, then finally released her. "Wow…" he breathed, unable to say more.   
  
Lily blushed a deep crimson shade, and turned hastily back to her work as James returned to his seat. "Ummm, sooo…I just kissed you didn't I." Lily said flatly, closing her eyes tight.   
  
"Yeah, you did." James responded, a grin on his face.   
  
"And, you kissed me back." Lily said, her eyes still shut.   
  
Sirius and Nicole had been watching them ever since Lily's first weak attempt…and they saw EVERYTHING. "Are you pondering what I'm pondering?" Nicole asked Sirius.   
  
"Yeah, wanna make out?" Sirius joked.  
  
"No, you git! About Lily and James! I think they're…in love!" she smiled, she loved this sort of thing.   
  
"Ah, no love for Sirius…" Sirius said softly.  
  
"Maybe later…" Nicole said, flashing a dangerous grin.   
  
As Sirius was doing his internal victory dance, James was responding to Lily.   
  
"I…think I might have…" James said, still grinning. His cheeks had gained a rose color, and he looked over at her now.   
  
Lily opened her eyes and stared at James, soulfully. "Was it…weird for you?" she asked meekly, worried about his response.   
  
"Not at all…you?" James said, losing himself in her eyes.   
  
"It wasn't weird at all…" Lily said, biting her lip.   
  
"Do you…want to…go out with me?" James ventured, his eyes widening.   
  
"Yes!" Lily exalted, now exiting the room with the other students. 


	2. They Loved, They Fought...James is such ...

(A/N You like me, you really like me! Thank you all for leaving notes and, yes, I DO plan on continuing this for a great while longer!)  
  
Lily waved goodbye teasingly as James' mouth hung open, a silly grin gracing his handsome face. "Emmy! Nic!" Lily exclaimed, swinging her arms around the necks of her two best friends. "Guess what!" She said, sighing happily.   
  
"You've finally figured out how to transfigure a toothpick into a needle?" Emily ventured jokingly, that was first year stuff.   
  
"You are now dating the love of your life, James Potter?" Nicole 'guessed' flatly. "Sirius and I saw you!" she said before jumping up and running away.   
  
"Ah, she's right! Emily, dear, I'm going out with James Potter!" she cried happily, several girls shooting her 'death glares'.   
  
"You are? Ugh, now I'm the only one without a boyfriend!" Emily whined, twisting a piece of brown hair around her finger.  
  
"What are you talking about, Emmy? I haven't asked Sirius, nor he I. So I don't have a boyfriend!" Nicole said, flipping a curl over her shoulder.  
  
"Yours is a sort of unspoken agreement…notice that before you girls were crawling all over him, and now that you're here they've stopped? They don't want to mess with The Girlfriend. I wish Remus would ask ME…I'd say yes…" Emily said wistfully, clutching her books to her chest.   
  
"C'mon you guys, lets get back up to the common room, might as well go there, we have fifteen minutes 'til lunch. The trio scurried to the portrait, and up the stairs into the common room, where they promptly dropped everything on a table and sat on the couches and arm chairs facing each other.   
  
~~~What happened to James~~~  
  
James left the room, waving weakly after his girlfriend, when Sirius and Remus walked up, and Sirius slapped him on the back. "Hey Prongs, old buddy!" Sirius said, grinning. "What's new?"  
  
"New? Lily…I asked her out…she said yes…she said yes!" James said finally, and raised his wand in triumph, sending a shower of red sparks down the hallway.   
  
"No magic in the corridors! Five points from…from…whatever house those came from!" a squeaky Prefect yelped.   
  
"Ah, you and Lily, she a good kisser?" Sirius said slyly, "Niccy and I saw the whole thing!" Sirius laughed, and Remus grinned, thinking of Emily.   
  
"What! You were watching?! Well, uh, yeah she really is. Its amazing…" James said, staring off into space while walking towards Gryffindor.   
  
"Alas, now I am the only one without a girlfriend…" Remus said sadly. "I wish I had the nerve to ask Emily…" His eyes glazed over at the thought of her, and a dopey grin found its way to his face.   
  
"I don't have a girlfriend…well…I guess me and Nicole sort of are…neither of us asked the other…we just…are…I guess…" Sirius said thoughtfully, and muttered the Gryffindor password.   
  
"Anyway, I can't wait to see her again…" James sighed, unaware that she and her friends were already in the room.   
  
"See who again?" a female voice asked, and Lily's head popped into view.   
  
"You of course," James said happily, and went to join her on the couch.   
  
Lily immediately found a comfortable position leaning against him, with his arms around her when Nicole, ever the tease, spoke up. "So, Lil, is James a good kisser?" she said slyly, scooting over for Sirius to sit down, which he did.   
  
"I wouldn't know what to judge it from, that was my first real kiss. But it felt great to me," Lily said blushing, and snuggled closer in James' arms.   
  
"That was your first kiss?" Sirius asked incredulously. He himself had had dozens, maybe even hundreds of kisses.  
  
Nicole stared at him and elbowed him in the ribs, "Ahem!" she cleared her throat, and Sirius blushed and sat back.   
  
"Yeah, it was, and I can't think who I'd rather have shared it with…" she smiled, and took James' hand in hers.  
  
James wrapped his arms more tightly around Lily, and said, "We never decided who our first-prank victim should be!" deliberately changing the subject.   
  
"How about we just go ahead and make Snape hula on the High Table?" Remus suggested, resting his head on his hand.  
  
"That would be hilarious!" Lily exclaimed, laughing and sitting up suddenly. This took James by surprise and she ended up elbowing him in the…crotch. James' face turned bright red and he bit his lip.  
  
"Owwww!" James muttered, leaning forward.   
  
Sirius, Remus, and Nicole all found this endlessly amusing, while Lily whipped around and said, "Oh! James I'm so sorry!" her hand flew to her mouth and James' face turned back to its normal color, and he regained composure. Lily rose to her feet along with Emily, Nicole, Sirius, and Remus. "It's time for lunch, Jamsie!" Lily said, and extended her arms.  
  
James took her hands and pulled himself to his feet. The group walked calmly down to the Great Hall, Lily had brought her wand and was repeating the charm over and over in her head. James had his arm around Lily's waist and it would be impossible to tell who got more glares, James because he was dating Lily (from Lily's admirers) or Lily for dating James (from James' admirers).   
  
Once seated at the Gryffindor table, Lily took out her wand and pointed it directly at Serverus Snape, a greasy black haired boy with a permanent sneer. "Micadus Alohus!" she whispered, and Snape rose to his feet, walked over to the High table, climbed on top, and began to do a very rhythmic hula dance. This continued for a few minutes, the entire student body in raucous laughter. But, alas, the charm wore off and Snape was left up on the High table, without a clue why he was up there, blushing furiously he returned to his seat.   
  
"Now, THAT, was funny!" Emily said, between bursts of laughter. Remus nodded by her side and on a whim, she turned and kissed him, then turned away, blushing. Remus donned the same happy-go-lucky grin that James had been wearing, and daringly wrapped his arm around her waist.   
  
"Ah, yes, well, Flame is the Queen of Charms, dontcha know!" Sirius joked, using Lily's Marauder nickname that stemmed from her fiery hair.   
  
Lily bowed in her chair lightly and turned to look at James, who kissed her. She hadn't been expecting the kiss and her eyes widened, then shut, as she deepened the kiss.   
  
"Dudes! Get a room!" Sirius said, smiling.  
  
"Don't give them any ideas!" Emily warned, wagging a finger at Sirius. Her blue eyes lit up, she knew that they were going to stay together…  
  
Lily and James parted, and stared into each other's eyes. "Ummm…thanks?" Lily said weakly, she had absolutely no idea what to say.   
  
James gave her his famous, half grin that sent all the girls in Gryffindor into frenzy. "Your welcome," he laughed, and loaded his spoon up with mashed potatoes. He took aim at the Slytherin table and successfully launched the potatoes at Serverus Snape. Snape turned around and threw a muffin over and the war began. Food was flying every which way and everyone was covered within minutes.   
  
"Marauders! Retreat!" James called to his friends, and they rushed out of the room, watching everyone fling the jam into the air. "Well, that was fun!" James laughed, as they headed up to the Gryffindor Tower, they all needed showers, and soon they would be packed.   
  
Once satisfyingly showered and clothed, Lily went to the Boys' Dormitory and knocked on James' room door. "James?" she called, and opened the door.   
  
"Hey!" he burst, and wrapped his sheet around him. She had walked in while he was changing, and he…wasn't quite finished yet.   
  
"Oh my god!" Lily said, and immediately turned around, covering her eyes. "I'm so sorry!"   
  
"So I'm a God? How nice of you to say, I'd always been a bit impressed myself too…" James teased, and finished dressing quickly.   
  
"You git…I wanted to ask if you'd care to join me in a trip to Hogsmeade?" Lily asked, turning around.   
  
"That sounds great, lets go!" James exalted, and they head out the door, and towards the secret passage to Hogsmeade.   
  
They couple strode, hand in hand, into the Three Broomsticks. "Madam Rosmerta? Two butterbeers, if you please." Lily said politely, she had always been a favorite of Rosmerta's, and she wasn't about to screw that up.   
  
Lily and James grabbed a table for two, near the fire, where they talked.   
  
"So, James, how are you doing without your fanclub?" Lily teased, the group of girls that glommed onto James now backed off whenever Lily was near.   
  
"Oh, I'm getting along without them…its strange how many people want to kill me now, though. Your little group of admirers sent me a little stuffed…me…it was rather creepy…the thing didn't look like me at all except for the hair!" James said, as he rested his head on his hand.   
  
Lily thought about this for a moment, then said "A doll Hmmm… that sounds like Jeremy…or Cory. Ah well, I was cornered in the dormitory by three fourth years! Dude, I was so scared…" Lily said, remembering.   
  
James finished his butterbeer, left some money on the table, and offered his arm to Lily. "M'lady? Would you care to join me for a stroll through Hogsmeade?" He asked in his most gentlemanly voice.   
  
Lily rose to her feet and said, "I'd be delighted." The pair walked off, going through the streets, they said nothing at first, then lily broke the silence. "What do you want to talk about?" she asked. She turned around to face James, and soon she was in his arms, she put her hands behind his neck, and kissed him.   
  
James pulled back slightly and grinned, "My favorite topic…"  
  
(A/N Alright, because this is not hentai or ecchi, I will not elaborate on the rest of the evening, things went on pretty much like that, and now…to the next morning. If you look to your left, it is about four in the morning, and James and Lily are just getting in.)  
  
Lily and James crept up the stairs to the Gryffindor Common Room, once there they burst out laughing, for everything is funny at four in the morning! Lily stifled her giggles and placed her index finger over James' mouth, shaking her head. "Shhh…we're going to wake somebody, and McGonagall will feed us to whatever monster is currently residing in Hogwarts!" she smiled, her emerald eyes glittering in the night.   
  
'She's so beautiful…' James thought, as he smiled back at her. "I suppose you're right, well, I'll be going up to bed then…" James said, and managed to get as far as a large couch before collapsing on it.  
  
"I suppose I will too…" Lily said absently, and collapsed beside James, on the same couch. They cuddled together and James slipped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer. They fell asleep like that, perfectly content, perfectly happy, in the arms of their love.   
  
A few hours later, Nicole and Remus emerged from their respective Dormitories, being the early risers of the group. "Oh my…" Nicole said, as she grinned and raised her hand to her mouth.   
  
"Somebody had fun last night…" Remus said, walking over to Nicole, he wasn't perverted, and didn't mean it like the full extent that it sounded.   
  
"I guess so…Oy! LILY! JAMES! WAKE UP!" Nicole called, just as Emily and Sirius came down to the common room, yawning.   
  
James jumped at the noise, his eyes widening, "Oh, hey guys, what's up?" he said absentmindedly. He shook Lily a little, and she reluctantly opened her eyes.  
  
"Why don't you two, tell us?" Emily laughed, looking at the adorable couple still in each other's arms on the couch. "I mean, you would know better than any of us!"   
  
"What do you mean?" Lily said, finally waking up. She looked around, and noticed how it must look, them both asleep on the couch, snuggled tightly together with his arms around her waist. "Oh, this…right…umm….err…" She stammered, and blushed slightly.   
  
She sat up, as did James next to her, and he said, "Would you believe I was giving her the heimlich maneuver and we both fell asleep?" James grinned mischievously.   
  
"Not for a second, Prongs old boy." Sirius said, grinning at the…interesting…situation he found his friends in.   
  
"James, you git, I'LL just tell them what ACTUALLY happened. We went to Hogsmeade last night, sort of as a date I suppose, and we got back at four in the morning, and we were both so tired that we fell asleep on the couch. That's all. Perfectly innocent." Lily said, smiling sickeningly sweetly.   
  
Remus smiled slyly, "If that's what you want to say happened, that's fine…" he laughed, and crossed his arms over his chest.   
  
"That IS what happened!" Lily whined, and looked at James for support.…whether she was expecting it or not, remains to be seen. "Right, James?"   
  
James just flashed his trademark grin and said, "Sure, yeah, that's what happened, whatever you say Lily, my dear." For this remark he received an elbow to the ribs, and a 'death glare' from Lily.   
  
"Oh ho!" Sirius laughed, and clapped his hands once. "I say, you certainly could have done better, Flame dearest."   
  
James just gave him a look that could kill, and rose to his feet, bringing Lily with him. "Well, I guess we're already dressed…sooo…on to the Great Hall?" James asked, trying to smooth his robes.   
  
"Yes, I suppose so, just a moment, though." Lily said, as she brought out her wand and magically straightened her robes and hair. "There we go…alright, now, have we passed inspection, Nicole?" she asked, spreading her arms and spinning. If she didn't look tip top Nicole would tell her.   
  
"You, Lily, look fine, James on the other hand could use some help…" Nicole said, and waved her wand over James, straightening his robes, for nothing could be done for his hair.   
  
"Thank you, Nicole…" James said, and slipped his arm around her waist. "Ah, Nicole my dear, you look absolutely LOVELY this morning!" he said, and flashed a grin at Lily.   
  
Lily glared and slipped her arms around Sirius. "Sirius, darling, does my hair look ok?" she 'asked' and stuck her tongue out at James.   
  
James took this as a challenge, and both Nicole and Sirius were used to this, so they just went along. James kissed Nicole lightly on the cheek, so, to top this Lily kissed Sirius on the lips, and pulled him in closer, for a very realistic-looking passionate kiss. "Care to top that, Jamsie?" Lily taunted, as she released Sirius, who looked quite dazed.   
  
"No, darling, I'd rather not kiss Sirius…never know where he's been!" James laughed, and released Nicole from his grasp, and took Lily's hand in his own. "Though, I must say, good show! You left Sirius unable to speak, that's a first…and I feel quite jealous!" James grinned, and looked down at Lily.   
  
"Really? Well, don't be, Sirius is an awful kisser!" Lily laughed and turned around to throw a grin at Sirius. The group entered the Great Hall, and Lily and James received an approving glance from Headmaster Dumbledore.   
  
The Marauders took their usual seats at the Gryffindor table, and waited for the start of breakfast. Dumbledore waved his hand and the food appeared, with no speech. Sirius was, of course, the first to the food, and happily piled it onto his plate. "Ah, breakfast, the most important meal of the day!"   
  
After breakfast the group went to Charms, easily Lily's best, and James' worst, class. Lily hardly paid any attention, she was too busy watching Kayla Richards, who also wasn't paying attention…because she was too focused on flirting with James. Kayla tossed back her sheet of blonde hair, and touched James' chest flirtatiously. Lily seethed with anger, and glared at the girl, who didn't notice. James, of course, took the flirting in stride, and had the gall to flirt back. Lily didn't think much about that at the time, but over the week, it had been occurring more and more often, and more and more ostentatiously. The straw that broke the camel's back occurred in Divination. Kayla leaned over and kissed James on the cheek, and he grinned that trademark grin that had Lily hooked. Lily stood up, anger glinting in her emerald eyes, unshed tears threatening to spill, she let out one sob, then flung herself down the trapdoor, not bothering to climb the ladder, and into the corridor below.   
  
Emily and Nicole gasped, and were immediately on their feet ready to chase after their friend, when James slowly got to his feet. Incidentally all three of them tried to fit through the trapdoor at once, and ended up in a heap at the base of the tower. They could hear Lily's footsteps and her sobs, all the way down the deserted corridor, and immediately gave chase. "What happened? Do you know?" Emily asked Nicole, who shook her head.   
  
James, being the athlete, was the first to reach Lily, who had collapsed in a deserted corner. "Lily, what's wrong?" he asked, and reached to take Lily in his arms, who shoved him away. James wore a look of hurt and confusion, and to his credibility caught on that it was his fault. "What did I do?" he asked, and sat down on the stone near her.   
  
"What did you DO?!" Lily said between sobs. "Oh, nothing, why don't you just go back to Divination? I'm sure KAYLA is missing you." She spat, each word dripping with sarcasm. Tears flooded down her face, and her bright red hair cascaded around her shoulders in a feral manner.   
  
"Kayla? What about her? What has she got to do with anything?" James asked dimly, a bewildered look masking his handsome features.   
  
"What about her? You've only been flirting in every class, for the past week and a half! You two have been all touchy feely, and you wonder what she has to do with anything?" Lily shrieked, and wiped her eyes.   
  
"So she's been flirting with me, can I help it?" James asked, obviously unaware of what was coming next.  
  
"Yes! You can! By NOT FLIRTING BACK!" Lily said, and stood. Emily and Nicole were standing in the shadows back farther into the corridor, silent. "Listen, James Potter, your other girlfriends may have put up with being used and cheated on, but I will not! I won't be second to anyone, you and I are through!" Lily strode angrily down the hall, leaving a very dazed James to climb to his feet and walk after her.   
  
Divination had let out, and Sirius had grabbed Lily and James' things for them, for Emily and Nicole already had theirs. Lily took her bag from Sirius, and looked at him gratefully, then went onto the Gryffindor Common Room. "What was that about?" Sirius asked James, who had just approached.   
  
"Lily…she…just dumped me…" James said, and his eyes shone with tears that would not be released. "She said that I was cheating on her, that I was flirting with Kayla, and that she wouldn't be second to anyone…and that we're through…" James said roughly, and Sirius' eyes widened. "Did I? Did I flirt with Kayla? Did I make Lily second? God, I didn't mean to if I did…I love her…and…we're through…it can't be" James moaned, his eyes now wild.   
  
Lily collapsed on an armchair by the fire, and was immediately wrapped in a hug from Emily. "Oh, hun, I'm so sorry…" was al she could say, as she attempted to stop her friend's tears from flowing.   
  
"I-I-I-I loved him! I loved him! I gave him my first kiss! And then he went to Kayla! He probably said the same things to her! He smiled at her that same way, and now look! It's over…" Lily cried, pulling away.   
  
James, Remus, and Sirius had just entered the room, James had started over towards where Lily was sitting, but Remus held him back and took him upstairs. Sirius, on the other hand, walked over to Lily and wrapped her in a hug. "Flame…are you sure about this?" he said soothingly, stroking her hair.   
  
Lily pulled back and looked Sirius in the eye. "You saw them! She kissed him! And then he just smiled that smile, he was flirting like crazy with her! You have no idea how much that hurts!" Lily said, fighting back tears. Lily had no idea that James was standing at the base of the stairs, watching her, his heart breaking into a million pieces. "I loved him! I loved him, and now look, he cast me aside…and I can't handle it!"  
  
"Do you still love him?" Sirius asked quietly.  
  
"Of course I do! I mean…I…I don't know! But I can't handle him doing this! I don't want to have given my heart away, to have it crushed! And that's happened! He obviously doesn't love me…so why torture myself?"   
  
"It look like you're torturing yourself enough right now…but he DOES love you, he loves you more than anything…"   
  
"He has an awful way of showing it then!"  
  
Lily spun on her heel and rushed up the stairs into the Girls' Dormitory, thrust her body onto her bed, and sobbed. She skipped dinner that evening, and kept to herself, all closed off in her room, she cried herself to sleep at night for the next three days. 


	3. They're back together! Or are they...?

(A/N Thank you for your support! And here I continue! I am DESPERATE! PLEASE review this with the name of a certain fic I'm looking for. It is a Hermione/Draco fic, where Draco plays piano in a secret room. Draco is Slytherin's heir, Hermione is Ravenclaw's, Ginny is Hufflepuff's and I believe Harry is Gryffindor's, but PLEASE help me! I want to find this fic! If you even know just the name or email of the author so I could email them requesting this fic, please tell me! I loved it, easily one of the best fics I've read. HELP!)  
  
Lily rose from her bed on the fourth day, wiped the tears from her eyes, and dressed herself in her most flattering robes. She spent extra time on her hair and make up, she wanted to look perfect. And she did, she looked angelic, like a goddess that has come down from the heavens to mingle with the common people. She strode proudly, silently, down the stairs to the common room, she was aware of the stares she was receiving, and she graced the male population of the room with a flirtatious smile.   
  
"Wow, Lily, you look great!" Nicole said, walking over to her friend.   
  
"Thanks Nicole, I feel better…I can handle things now." Lily said calmly, she really didn't feel better, and she knew she couldn't cope, but she could try.   
  
Emily entered the room at the same time as James, Sirius, and Remus. James' jaw dropped at the sight of Lily, he wanted to hold her, to talk to her, to kiss her. The past three days had been torture for him, knowing that all of his pain was his own fault, and that she would never be his again. "James, are you ok?" Sirius asked quietly, noting his reaction to Lily.   
  
James shook his head, no, he wasn't ok. "I don't think I ever will be…God she's beautiful…she's doing this to hurt me…she knows how this will effect me…" James breathed, and felt an all too familiar wrenching at his heart, it hurt like nothing else.   
  
"Man, you two need to talk…there is nothing else for it…you have to talk…" Sirius said, as he and his two friends walked over to join the girls, James managing to compose himself slightly. "Hello, Nicole my pet. I trust you slept well?" Sirius said, kissing Nicole on the cheek.   
  
"Of course, that is after I got back from the common room…you really should let a girl get to sleep…" Nicole said, smiling.   
  
Lily looked over at James and felt her stomach knot. James stepped towards Lily, and reached for her hand. "Lily? Can we talk?" he asked her, his eyes begging her to say yes.   
  
Lily laughed softly and pulled gently away. She smiled sweetly, and looked at him through her eyelashes just the way that she knew would drive him crazy. "James, I have nothing to say to you. But I'm sure Kayla would love to discuss anything you wish…why don't you go find her? You obviously enjoy her company more than mine." Lily said evenly, almost condescendingly.   
  
The others standing near edged away, leaving the two in a corner of the common room. "Lily, you have to know that's not true…" James pleaded, he felt himself going weaker under her gaze. He loved her eyes, they could make him do anything. "I love you Lily, come on Flame, you know I love you."  
  
"Don't call me that! Only my friends can call me Flame. And obviously you DON'T love me as much as you claim, or else you wouldn't have done this. Who cares if you 'love me'. I loved you, but did my feelings matter? Why should I listen to a word you have to say?" Lily said, tears now streaming down her face.   
  
James felt the shock of her words as if she had physically struck him. "I'm sorry Lily, I'm so sorry! I'm an awful prat! I'm an idiot! But I need you, I can't go on without you. I'll never even SMILE at another girl again, just say you love me…" James begged, he had drawn ever closer to her, and now they were scant inches apart.  
  
"James, I…I love you…but…I don't know if it's enough…" Lily said, crying softly. James wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, he was trying to prove how he felt, through that one kiss. Needless to say, when James finally released her, Lily couldn't speak, she could barely stand.   
  
After a moment of fish-like movements with her mouth, Lily finally choked out the words she wanted to say. "Ok…I love you…and…I want you back…will you have me?" Lily asked, staring into James' eyes.   
  
James grinned happily, and said, "Of course…I only need to know that you'll have me…"   
  
The couple walked into the Great Hall, a few tears of happiness trickling down Lily's face, her head resting on the shoulder of her beloved.   
  
The couple continued on like this all throughout the day, until, right after Potions, Kayla approached James. She tossed her hair back over her shoulder, and smiled her sweetest smile. "Hi James! Did you miss me?" she asked, twirling a piece of hair on her finger. She hadn't realized that Lily and James were back together, and was very miffed when Lily approached the two. "What are you doing here, Evans? Come to beg my James to take you back?" she asked spitefully, and slipped her arm around James', who, in turn, shrugged her off.  
  
"What on earth are you talking about, Kayla? Your James? Last time I checked he was MY James. That is, unless he's forgotten to tell me something…" Lily said, smiling.   
  
James shook his head and said happily, "Nope! Nothing at all!"   
  
Kayla bristled and turned, planting a kiss on James' lips. James looked disgusted, and Lily took this as a challenge, she always did. She turned to face James, put her hand behind his head, and kissed him. He slipped his arm behind her back and pulled her closer. When they finally released each other it seemed Kayla had planned her next course of action. She reached for James' belt, and he immediately jumped back. "Access denied!" he cried, and hid behind Lily. Lily looked angry, VERY angry. And you don't want to see Lily Evans very angry. She took out her wand and pointed it at Kayla. Kayla seemed to get the message and took off.   
  
"Access denied, huh?" Lily whispered, turning around.  
  
"Yup…well…except for you…" He grinned mischievously.   
  
"Ah, sorry, rules are rules, now, I wouldn't want to break them, would I?" Lily said, smiling at him teasingly. She turned away and sauntered off, leaving James to try and register the new feelings in his stomach.  
  
The next month was a blur of happiness, smiles, kisses, and love. And it was soon December, December the 24th, Christmas Eve. Lily had her red hair pulled away from her face with a sparkling headband, and a sprig of Holly was tucked into it. Lily strolled down the steps to the common room, and walked over to the fire where all of her friends were standing. "Hi guys! What's wrong? What prank did I fall for this time?" She asked, checking the color of her hair and skin. Her friends were all grinning at her, save Remus that is. "What is it?"  
  
"Um, they sort of, bewitched some mistletoe to float around the castle, and fly over a male/female pair that happens to be standing next to each other, and they can't move until they kiss. Now, as you can see, there is a sprig of glowing mistletoe above our heads…and I cannot physically walk away." Remus said with a sigh, pointing to the mistletoe.   
  
"Oh…crap. Oh, sorry Remus I didn't mean it like that, you're a great guy and all…but we're both spoken for." Lily said uncomfortably, gesturing to James and Emily. Lily, having tried to walk away, sighed and leaned over and kissed Remus lightly on the lips. She tried to walk away again, but found she couldn't.   
  
"Oh yeah! It has to be a REAL kiss, not that wimpy stuff. We're hoping to catch McGonagall and Snape!" Sirius exalted, a grin on his face.   
  
Lily huffed and said, "Fine. But this is your own fault, James Potter! I may just fall madly in love with Remus after this!" She said teasingly, and to her surprise something flickered across James' face, Jealousy? Lily leaned in and kissed Remus on the mouth, noting how weird it felt to kiss anyone other than James. Remus returned the kiss gently, and Lily backed away, finally able to walk. "There! And Emily, you got lucky, Remus is one heck of a kisser!" She said, flashing a thumbs up. James looked slightly hurt by this remark, and Remus was simply blushing the color of Lily's hair.   
  
"Ah, I know. Remus is perfect!" Emily said, and kissed him happily.   
  
James walked over to Lily and whispered in her ear, "You know, for a split second there I felt like killing Remus? Then I remembered it was OUR prank!" Lily laughed and whispered back to him, "A bit jealous?" James nodded lightly, obviously embarrassed. In response Lily kissed him, and leaned forward to deepen the kiss. James returned it and then stepped back, saying, "Ok, now I feel better!"   
  
Lily laughed and the group all went down to dinner. After dinner there was to be a ball, a chance for the students to 'promote inter-house relations' as Dumbledore put it. "So…who are you guys going to the ball with?" Lily asked, noting that James hadn't asked her yet.   
  
"I'm going with Remus," Emily said happily.   
  
"Emily"  
  
"Nicole"  
  
'Sirius"  
  
They said happily, all looking at their partners. "Hmm, now what of little old me? No one has asked me yet…" she said, pouting at James.  
  
"Oh, right. Er, Lily, will you go to the ball with me?" James said, looking sure of the response.  
  
"Oh, I don't know. I sort of had my sights set on Severus." Lily said, appearing deep I thought.   
  
"Huh?" James asked, looking slightly bewildered.  
  
"Oh, you dolt, fine, I'll go with you!" she sighed, looking as if she had made some great sacrifice. "I wouldn't want to go with someone who had longer hair than I do anyway."   
  
James laughed and the whole group went back to the common room, and soon the Girl's Dormitory was alive with the three girls getting ready for the dance. Nicole stepped out of the bathroom with a flourish, she was dressed in violet dress-like robes. They were form fitting around the bodice, and hung at the exactly right angle off of her hips. Her hair was left down in delicate, romantic curls. "Voila!" she cried, spinning around the room.   
  
Emily soon followed, she was wearing midnight blue robes that looked almost like a garment you would see in a portrait of an angel. Her hair was also left down in ringlets, making her look just like an angel.   
  
Lily stepped out of the bathroom last, she was dressed in emerald green robes, pleated over her chest, tight around her torso, and billowed out around her legs. The sleeves were tight against her arms, and came to a point over the backs of her hands. Her hair was done up into an elegant bun high on her head, and a few pieces were curled into spirals to hang around her face. She looked like a fairy-tale Princess. And that was how she felt when she and her friends walked down the stairs to the Common Room. James, Sirius, and Remus had all been waiting…and each wore the same look of awe. James bowed in front of Lily, extending his hand. "My Lady," he said, sounding very serious.   
  
Lily smiled and said, with a curtsy, "My Lord." James straightened up and smiled. "You look…wonderful…" he said breathlessly, and Lily blushed just ever so slightly, a pink tinge rising in her tan cheeks. She smiled and allowed James to lead her down to the Great Hall, where the Headmaster was announcing the couples.   
  
"James Potter and Lily Evans" was called and the couple stepped into the beautiful room. Everything shone, glistened, or sparkled in some way that made it seem magical…which it was. James and Lily stayed upon the dance floor for the entire evening, well, until James decided to get them some eggnog. Lily stood there for a moment as James walked off, in the midst of the dancing couples. Everything seemed to be a swirl of color, and she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Back already, James?" she asked as she turned around, expecting to see the smiling features of her love. She was quite surprised to see Lucius Malfoy standing there. "Oh! Malfoy, what do you want?" She asked, getting a shiver.   
  
Lucius didn't answer, he merely grabbed her roughly around the waist and forced his lips upon hers. And, of course, James was returning at precisely this moment, to see Lily's hands on Lucius's shoulders (even though she was trying to push him away), Lucius's arms around HIS Lily, and them kissing. Goblets crashed against the ground as James saw what he did. There was a look on his face of the utmost pain, and betrayal. He could feel his heart shattering…for his Lily.   
  
Lily finally managed to pry Lucius off of her, and saw James. "James!" she called, rushing after the boy who had turned and fled. "James!" she tried again, rushing through the corridors, searching for her love. She found him out by the lake, staring at the water, tears wet on his cheeks. "James, you have to understand…it's not what it looked like!" She said, a pleading note to her voice.  
  
"Then what was it? If it wasn't what it looked like. It was exactly what it looked like. You and Lucius were kissing…that's all I know. Am I really that repulsive that you have to run to HIM?" James asked, his voice colder than ice. He turned to face her, more correctly to glare at her.   
  
Tears filled her emerald eyes as Lily whispered, "Of course not…I love you, James. I love you…" She reached out her hand to touch his face, she wanted to hold him, she wanted him to hold her.   
  
"Sure you do," James said, pulling away when she tried to touch him. "Of course you love me, that's exactly why you and Lucius were…doing what you did. Leave me alone, Evans. I don't want to see you again." He said, then strode off to the Gryffindor boy's dorm.   
  
Lily stood, shocked, tears now streaming freely down her face. Her knees betrayed her and she collapsed into the water, the iciness piercing her skin. She sat like this for hours, staring up at the Gryffindor Tower, wanting the piercing pain that the water brought to keep from her mind what had just happened.   
  
Lily was quite the sight when Sirius and Nicole came outside for a moonlit stroll. They, and the other Marauders, had been off jinxing a quill for Snape, and hadn't seen what transpired. Lily's hair had come down from the bun, her skin was deathly pale, and her lips were a mottled shade of blue. She sat there, transfixed on the tower…a frozen tear on her cheek. "Oh my god!" Nicole exclaimed, as she and Sirius rushed to the girl in the lake. Sirius swept her up in his arms, and rushed her into the school, Nicole all the while stroking her hair, trying to get the girl to speak. "No...no…please Lil, say something! Anything! Call me a prat! Say that my dress clashes with my shoes! ANYTHING! Please Lily, just say something!"   
  
Sirius, seemingly out of his wits, took her not to the Hospital wing, but to the Gryffindor Common room. Emily and Remus were already in there…and Emily, having recognised the situation, ran up to the Girl's dorm to fetch a newly made potion. Remus stared at Lily, who was now wrapped in a blanket on the couch, still staring ahead blankly. "What happened?" he whispered, his fingertips grazing her cheek, her un-nervingly cold flesh.   
  
Sirius shook his head and responded, "We found her sitting in the lake, she might've been there for hours. God, do you think she'll be ok? I'd better get James…" At this he rushed up the steps to the Boy's dorm, and opened the door, to see James sitting in the darkened room, staring at the granite floor.   
  
Meanwhile Emily came back to the common room, and forced a potion down Lily's throat. She was warmed somewhat, though she was still in the state she had been at the water. She looked exactly the same, but now she could speak. "C-c-can I ch-change?" She asked, for she was still in her soaking wet dress. "Oh! Of course!" Nicole said and took Lily upstairs, changing her into her flannel pajamas, and her robe, then brought her back down to the couch, in front of the fire. She wrapped several blankets around her, fearing for her friend's safety.   
  
Sirius burst into the room, wildly looking at James. "James! It's Lily!" he said, and James replied coldly, "What about her?"  
  
"We found her sitting in the lake, she must have been there for hours! She's all frozen...and…god, James, don't you care?" He asked incredulously at his friend's lack of emotion.   
  
"No." James said simply. Then, seeing the shock on his best friend's face he explained, "I came back from getting some eggnog for me and Lily, to see Lucius and her kissing in the middle of the dance floor. I went out to the lake, and she followed me. I broke up with her." James' eyes were cold and glassy, as he turned his head to look at Sirius.   
  
Sirius bit his lip. He didn't know what to do, or to say. All he knew was that he felt awful for both James and Lily, and he suspected that what happened with Lucius hadn't been entirely voluntary. "Er…I'll be right back Prongs…" Sirius said lamely, and ran back down the stairs, to ask Lily what had happened.  
  
By the time Sirius got there Lily had just begun explaining, "James went to get some eggnog for the two of us, and I remained on the dance floor, just watching the people dance…I always do that at dances, I like it. Then Lucius comes up to me, and he starts kissing me, I was trying to pry him off when James came. Instead of coming to my rescue, he ran away, thinking that I was kissing Lucius. I ran after him, out to the lake, where I tried to tell him what had really happened, and he wouldn't listen. I told him I love him, and he broke up with me. I was so shocked…I just…collapsed in the water. I couldn't move…I wanted to die." She said, between sobs and shivers.   
  
"Oh, Lily…" Emily said, wrapping her arms around the girl. "You two have got to talk, I'm sure James was just…shocked from what he saw. James isn't THAT unreasonable, he'll understand." She soothed, rubbing the skin on Lily's back, hoping she was right.   
  
Lily shook her head sadly and said, "I don't think so. His eyes were so cold…but I love him! Doesn't he understand that there's only him? But he…he called me…Evans…" Another tear slid down her cheek.  
  
Sirius shifted uncomfortably and said, "Er, I talked to James…he's not exactly…happy. He's actually rather scary at the moment. I'm sorry, Lil, but…I think he may be serious…" Sirius walked over behind the couch, and kissed Lily on the top of her head. As the hours crept by, and Lily fell asleep in front of the fire, they all made their way up to their respective beds. 


	4. The Curse of Heartbreak

Lily woke, and, with some hopes of winning James back, dressed and bettered her appearance as much as she could. She walked down the stairs, and found James in the common room. "James?" she said, hoping he would return her greeting. "James, can we talk? Please?" she asked, as she neared him.   
  
"There's nothing to say, Evans. Leave me alone." James responded harshly, then stalked off with a random blonde.   
  
The next two weeks proceeded very much the same. Lily would continue to try and corner James, to get him to talk, and James would brush her off. The last time, being the most recent, he had called her a horrible name. "Get lost, mudblood!" he had said, and broke her heart once again. Lily walked slowly out to the Quidditch pitch, muttering to herself the entire way. "He doesn't trust me, he doesn't love me. He says I'm a mudblood…he hates me. Being without him is a fate worse than death! Well…I can't take it anymore…my broken heart will never be mended."  
  
Lily strode out to the middle of the pitch, and, having taken out her wand, began reciting ancient spells. Her body glowed an emerald green, and she was slowly lifted of the ground. She returned her wand to her pocket, and her body went limp. Her head remained held high, though her eyes were closed. She had brought upon her self, the Curse of Heartbreak.   
  
Meanwhile Emily and Remus were walking down a third floor corridor, when Emily looked out the window, towards the Quidditch pitch. "Oh my god! Remus! It's Lily!" She said, and Remus looked curiously out the window. "Oh no…we have to get Dumbledore!"   
  
The pair rushed down the corridor to the Gargoyle statue that they had visited enough times to know it led to Dumbledore's office. "Er, Lemon Drops! Fizzing Whisbees! Drooble's best Blowing Gum! Er, ACID POPS!" At this the statue sprang to life and stepped aside. "Er, really? Acid pops? I was kidding…" he said, and walked through the opening. "DUMBLEDORE!" Emily yelled, as they entered his office. "Lily! Quidditch pitch!" she said incoherently. Dumbledore looked out his window, towards the pitch. He nodded sadly then turned to Emily and Remus.   
  
"Sit down. Lily has performed the Curse of Heartbreak. Apparently she found her current position in life unbearable. She'll remain there for all eternity…unless the reason for her heartbreak professes their love for her. It cannot be a mere statement, they have to be sincere. We don't have much time…the swords will be arriving soon." Dumbledore said sadly, gazing out the window that faced west.   
  
"The s-s-swords?" Remus choked out, he was already in shock, and this didn't sound good.   
  
"Yes…the Swords of the West. As the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so shall a love rise in the east and set in the west. They will come, and they will hurt her. They will pierce her body…and she might never be free. Go…tell this to him…James has to know."  
  
"How did you know it was…James?"  
  
"Who else could it be?"  
  
The pair rushed from the office and repeated what Albus Dumbledore had told them, word for word, to James. His response was startling, cold and cruel. "What has this got to do with me? Go find her true love, I was just an amusement." James said icily.   
  
"You prat! You think she spent all this time trying to reunite with her 'amusement'?! She loves you, you idiotic git! You broke her heart and I swear to God, James Harry Potter, I will kill you with my bare hands if you let the swords come!" Emily said savagely, causing Remus to wrap his arms around her waist to keep her from attacking James.   
  
James looked into Emily's wild eyes. "Lucius Malfoy. My Lily. How do you think that felt?"  
  
"Well, how do YOU think LILY felt when her boyfriend, the guy she's in LOVE with, didn't come to her rescue, but ran away! She was pushing him away, you prat! If she is hurt at all by this…Potter…I'll join the Dark Lord and I'm coming after YOU!" Emily burst, and grabbed James' hand, successfully dragging him out to the quidditch pitch.   
  
James didn't struggle as the wild-eyed girl dragged him out to the pitch, which was now glistening with rain. He looked up at Lily, she was soaked, and her hair fell over her face, masking her from complete sight. He wanted, nay NEEDED, to take her into his arms, to make this hurt go away, to shield her from pain. But he couldn't bring himself to do it, knowing that Lily and Lucius had kissed. -You git, it wasn't as if she WANTED to! You love her, numbskull! Save her! You can! How will you feel if the swords come?- James scolded himself.   
  
James simply walked away, turning the cold shoulder on his life, his love, and his friends.   
  
Remus and Emily stared in disbelief after their friend. "Did that just happen?" Remus asked Emily, quietly.   
  
"Yeah, I think so. I can't believe he could do this to Lily, maybe he didn't love her…maybe we were wrong about him." Emily replied, seeing red that James was in essence killing one of her two best friends.   
  
James walked down the corridor, towards the Great Hall for dinner, all the while questioning his decision to walk away. -Just go back, Potter, just go back and save her…she could be hurt, Your Lily would be hurt, all because you wouldn't NOT COULDN'T, but WOULDN'T save her.-   
  
-She hurt me too.-  
  
-So you'll let her be pierced by those swords, suffer all eternity there, simply because you saw her being kissed by some guy that she was trying to push away?-  
  
-Er…why am I talking to myself anyway?-  
  
-Because you won't listen to anyone else-  
  
-Right-  
  
-So…what are you going to do?-  
  
-Eat-  
  
-I can't believe me!-  
  
James sat down, in a secluded spot at the table, he silently ate some potatoes and meat and tried to silence his conscience. Needless to say, this was impossible. He hated himself for leaving his darling Lily out there, vulnerable and waiting for eternal torture…but he couldn't remove the image of Lily and Malfoy from his mind. He looked up, having heard Malfoy's voice carried over from the next table.   
  
"Yeah! So I go up to her, and I kissed her right there, in front of everyone. And, get this, Potter comes back, thinks that she's kissing ME and stalks off! And I got ten galleons off of it to boot!"   
  
"Did you hear? She put this curse on herself on the pitch, because Potter still hates her! It's a hoot!" Goyle (Greg'g father) laughed.   
  
James' eyes widened, Lily had been telling him the truth, she still loved him, and he condemned her to a fate worse than death. James stood up quickly, his chair flying out behind him, and dashed towards the door. Dumbledore smiled warily, hoping the boy was not too late.   
  
He ran as fast as he could, much too slowly in his opinion, and let out a cry of fear as he saw black swords coming from the west. "Lily!" he called, standing before the girl that he loved. "Lily, I love you! I'm sorry, Lily, just please, please come back!"   
  
James grew frantic as her condition didn't change. Tears began streaming down his face as he continued to plead with her. "Lily, oh God, Lily! Please, I love you!"  
  
The swords were close now, too close, too too close. James held out his wand and called, "Accio Broomstick!" And the wooden tool came to him. He flew into the air, to protect Lily from the swords. One black sword pierced her body, down her right shoulder. "No!" he yelled, and covered her body with his own. Sword after sword cut him, plunging into his body and calling forth the pain of a million broken hearts, but none of that mattered now. All that mattered was that he save her, protect from this hell he had forced her in to. All at once a green light flashed, and Lily fell in to his arms. The swords disappeared, but the wounds remained. "Lily, oh god, Lily!" he whimpered, rocking her back and forth from his position on the ground. His tears fell on to her angelic face, and her eyes remained closed. James was soon unconscious, his love still in his arms.   
  
  
James' eyes fluttered open to see Emily glaring down at him. "She was hurt. You let them hurt her!" she shut her eyes tightly and Remus put an arm around her shoulders, and she relaxed. "But, you took the majority of the blows for her…so I guess I have no reason to haunt you when I die…" she chuckled.   
  
James laughed weakly and said, "Gee, thanks a million Em."   
  
A/N Sorry for the long wait and the shortish chapter! I was in the hospital for a loooooooooooong time, and I couldn't get to a computer obviously.  
  
Liza What is your problem? If you don't like how I do things, don't read my work. When you spouted off in that review, you were just proving why you shouldn't say things if you don't know the full story surrounding them, I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL!   
  
Thank you all of my LOYAL and WONDERFUL reviewers! I'll try and get chapters out faster now that I'm out of the hospital, they may be shorter, though! 


	5. El Fin

James had to stay in the hospital wing for a week, the wounds from the swords were not easily mended. During this time Lily remained unconscious, her garnet hair splayed over the white pillow like blood on snow. James watched her all day, praying for a change, a change for the better. The only way he could go to sleep at night was when they put sleeping potion in his food, he even fought it then.   
  
Nicole walked in with Sirius, Remus, and Emily. They took their normal seats around Lily's bed, and James stroked her hair lightly.   
  
"I can't believe I was such a jerk." He said at last, his eyes watery with the ever-present tears.   
  
"Neither can I." Emily said, somewhat bitterly. She knew it was his fault her best friend was in danger of dying, and she also knew that he had almost died trying to save her, she was torn. She didn't know what to think or how to act. Part of her wanted to yell and scream and hurt him for what he did to Lily, but part of her wanted to hug him and cry and thank him for trying to save her.   
  
Remus looked at Emily, a bit shocked at this remark, but his eyes softened when her caught hers. "You were rather stupid, I'll admit, but you were jealous, you didn't want Lily to hurt you anymore."  
  
"She'll pull out of it, right?" Sirius said, uncharacteristically somber. He had shed his share of tears over Lily's current condition, he felt he didn't have any left.   
  
"God, I hope so." Nicole whispered, taking Lily's hand in her own.   
  
"If she dies…so will I…" James said. The rest of his friends stared, they knew he loved her, they just hadn't been aware of the magnitude of his feelings. "Life isn't worth living without my Lily."  
  
Emily chewed on her lip, eyes transfixed on the sleeping beauty before her. A thought came to her. "James, if this spell is based on being alone, why not wake her like another girl was when she was placed under a spell to be alone…say…Princess Aurora? Sleeping Beauty?"   
  
James' eyes lit up, then he said, apprehensively, "I don't know if that's a good idea. What if it doesn't work? I mean, I would have just stolen a kiss from her, and she could be gone…doesn't that seem wrong to anyone else?"  
  
"But what if it does work? How terribly would you feel if she was gone, but you found out later all you had to do was kiss her?" Nicole prodded.  
  
"Ok…I'll try anything…" James relented. He leaned down over the figure, and placed his mouth gently over hers, kissing her softly. He was about to pull away when he felt a response on the other end. Lily's eyes were open! She was kissing him! James sat back in shock. And Emily and Nicole threw themselves at her, wrapping her in tight embraces.   
  
"Oh, Lily! You're ok, you're ok!"  
  
"We thought you were gone!" They cried, and hugged her tighter still.  
  
"Guys? I'm sorry to interrupt this love-fest, but…could you let me go? I sorta have to breathe." Lily said weakly. They instantly withdrew sheepish looks on their faces. Lily looked at James, who had this look on his face, like all his dreams had come true at once.   
  
A/N Should I stop here? Naaaaaah! I'm not that mean!  
  
Sirius, Remus, Emily, and Nicole looked at the pair, who were currently staring into each other's eyes. One tear slid down James' face, and Lily leaned forward, took his face in her hands, and kissed it away.   
  
"God, Lily…I…" James started, barely blinking, for fear that if he did she might disappear. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, careful to avoid her wounds. He buried his face in her shoulder and a dry sob wracked his body. "I'm so sorry, Lily, please, please forgive me! I'm so sorry, so sorry, so sorry…" he said, repeating the two words over and over, clutching her, afraid to let her go.   
  
Lily's fingers were splayed over his hair, stroking the ebony follicles. Her cheek was pressed against his head, and her eyes were closed, silent tears pouring down her face. "Shhhhh…" she whispered soothingly, and her other hand stroked his spine. "Shhhhh, darling, it's ok, I forgive you, it's ok…I love you, James…" she said, and kissed his head.   
  
James pulled back slightly, gazing intensely in her emerald eyes. "I love you too, Lily, more than you'll ever know…I'd gladly die for you…" James said sincerely, and kissed her.   
  
It was as if they were trying to pour all of their love for each other into that one kiss, it was perfect, intense and dizzying and passionate, but loving and caring and sweet all at the same time. When they pulled away from each other, it seemed as if neither could stop smiling.   
  
Remus, Nicole, Sirius, and Emily all shared identical grins.   
  
  
Once outside the Hospital Wing, Sirius stopped Nicole in the hall. "Yes, Sirius?" she asked, looking into his open dark eyes.   
  
"Nicole, this whole experience has just shown me how quickly someone you care about can slip away…and…I don't want that to happen with us, I love you, Nic." He said, for the first time, he said he loved her.   
  
Nicole smiled, and tears filled her eyes, he loved her, he really loved her. "I love you too, Sirius, I love you!" and neither returned to the Common Room until late that night.   
  
Life continued as normally as it could at Hogwarts, and not one person in the three couples ever stopped loving their partner.  
  
El Fin.   
  
A/N How did you like it? If you liked it or not, just press the little button and tell me! I've got a bunch of little fics almost finished that I'm going to post soon, so keep on the lookout! 


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